


Gay Propaganda

by phoenixdna



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, New York City, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pride, Service Dogs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:34:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23833213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixdna/pseuds/phoenixdna
Summary: Following his recovery from HYDRA's brainwashing, Bucky starts a new life. He's once again dating Steve, who helped him get a service dog for his PTSD. They're taking life in small steps, but Bucky decides he's ready to take on a big one: New York Pride. Unfortunately, an encounter with protesters does notquitego as expected...
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 6
Kudos: 164





	Gay Propaganda

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a tumblr post I vaguely remember from long, long ago. Can't find it, but if you know it, feel free to link it in the comments!

Bucky was still working on crowds. It was hard for him to be in crowded places, in loud places. There was too much input. Steve was getting better with them, although he still found himself reaching for an earpiece from time to time. He half-expected to be holding a gun in one hand and a shield in another.

Instead, this time, he had a leash in his right hand. It was a service dog – specifically, Bucky’s service dog, Delilah. In his left hand, he had Bucky’s hand. Delilah’s harness was always in his right hand, if he was the one walking her. Bucky’s hand stayed in his left hand. Bucky preferred it that way. That way, he didn’t have to touch Steve with his metal arm.

He had a new metal arm, from his time in Wakanda. This one was vibranium. It was matte, and didn’t shine the way the old one did. Bucky liked that. He also liked that it didn’t have as much blood sunken into the cracks. Wakanda released him with a clean bill of psychological health. Well. Clean was a strong word. They were mostly convinced that he wasn’t going to turn into a mindless murder robot, and Steve had taken over from there. Cue months of learning how to live again, like a person, with an apartment, and a life.

Steve managed to hold his tongue long enough to smooth over things with Tony and SHIELD, so they were back in his good books. They found an apartment in Brooklyn, just around the block from Bucky’s old one. The neighbourhood had changed a lot. It was all new flesh on an old skeleton. Steve recognized the bones, here and there. Bucky’s memories were too unstable to recognize much of anything.

But months of care turned into discussions of what they were before. Before the war, before the rail bridge, before the next war, and the next one… Before all this. And one thing turned to another, and then they were dating. In a way, it was the same as before. They were still constantly in trouble, although the bullies were bigger, and the wounds ran deeper, and the bruises healed faster.

There was something unusual about it, though, and that was the transparency of it all. Especially when they were in the army, nobody could know. Even today, they still flinched when someone walked into the room. Nobody had made a big deal about it so far. Tony had been loudly supportive and a little awkward. Natasha quirked an eyebrow and said “Figured.” Nothing else. Sam, out of anyone, had the most nuance about it. Probably since, as both of their closest friend, he had to listen to their pining and whining from either side.

They had been taking it in little steps. Going to New York Pride was like leaping into the deep end.

They wanted to keep a low profile while at the parade. Bucky and Steve were both wearing nondescript clothes, with covering most of their faces. Delilah panted happily at their sides, carrying a bottle of water and a fold-up bowl in her vest. One of the best parts of pride was that they could disappear into the crowd. Among drag queens and leather kings, people of all genders in skintight clothes with sparkles and rainbows, two men holding hands and talking quietly – exchanging kisses here and there – were nothing to be ogled. The invisibility felt blissful.

Steve was forging on ahead, walking toward a performance stage, when he felt both his arms tug back. Delilah and Bucky both froze in the sidewalk. Beside them was a dull rabble of a different kind.

It took Steve a moment to realize who they were. They were protesting the parade. Protesting pride. They held bold signs condemning the parade. One was spouting bullshit through a megaphone. Steve grabbed Bucky’s shoulders, which were shaking, expecting to have to shuffle him along. Then he realized – Bucky was laughing.

Bucky was doubled over, laughing as hard as Steve had ever seen. Steve’s face broke into a broad, sunshine grin.

“Bucky,” he said, “Buck. What the hell are you laughing at?”

Between breaths, Bucky pointed, the index finger of his left hand drawing a straight line to the middle of Steve’s forehead. But not Steve, his boyfriend – Steve, the poster in one of the protester’s hands. There he was: Steve Rogers, pointing out of a propaganda poster that looked straight out of the 40’s. This one, though, wasn’t talking about enlisting in the war. This one said, in all capitals:

I WANT YOU TO PROTECT FAMILY VALUES

Steve burst out laughing, too. Soon the two men were doubled over, leaning on each other for support. They took off their sunglasses to wipe tears out of their eyes.

“Hey,” one of the protesters called, “What are you laughing at?”

Bucky looked over at Steve. He had a glimmer in his eye. Steve recognized it. He’d seen it a hundred times. It usually preceded trouble, of one sort or another.

“What are we thinking?” he asked. Bucky leaned in to whisper in Steve’s ear. Steve frowned. His eyes widened, and he nodded emphatically. He pulled back. The protester was watching with something bordering on disgust.

“You sure about this?” Steve asked. Bucky was still laughing. He nodded, barely able to get a word in.

Steve surveyed the scene. He reached out for the megaphone and grabbed it.

“Hey!” the protester said. A twinge of recognition passed across his face. Steve smirked. That’s what he was counting on.

“Everybody listen up!” Steve shouted into the megaphone. He pulled off his hat, stood with his chest puffed out, pointed, just like the sign. Only now he was pointing at Bucky, who could barely contain himself.

“My name is Steve Rogers and I’m Captain America!”

Oh, that worked. He had everyone’s attention now. People walking by; vendors in stalls; especially the protesters, half of whom were pale with fear and the other red with rage.

“I wanted to tell you all that I am BISEXUAL!” He was having trouble getting the words out, smiling as hard as he was. “This is my boyfriend, Bucky Barnes. He is GAY!”

Much of the crowd was cheering. It felt like Steve’s performing days.

“We live together! We sleep in the same bed! We have GAY SEX.”

The protester was yelling something, but nobody could make it out over the shouts.

“So I just want to say, to these lovely folks here using my picture for their bigoted propaganda-”  
He was suddenly cut off. Bucky was kissing him, dipping him like the V-Day photo from Times Square that neither of them got to see until years later. Bucky let him up a moment later. He shook his head, slightly disoriented, blushing furiously. Then he turned back to the protestors. He pulled the poster with his face on it out of their hands.

“Alright,” Steve said, “I think you should go now.”

And leave they did, to the jubilation of the crowd. Steve and Bucky were just about mobbed, but Delilah was blocking properly, and they shouted apologies and ran off down a side street that Steve dug up from the deep recesses of his mind. When they were safely away from the crowds and on their way home, they both doubled over laughing.

“Did you see that guy’s face?” Steve said.

“Which one? There were too many too choose from!” Bucky answered.

“That was priceless, your timing was perfect-”

“It was your idea!”

“No, I could have sworn it was yours. Damn, Bucky, I love you.”

They kissed again, this one more sweetness than spectacle. When they parted, Bucky was smiling, but seemed to sag a little.

“Tired?” Steve asked. Bucky nodded. “Alright. Let’s get you home.”

They took each other’s hands, Steve’s left hand in Bucky’s right, and began the walk home.


End file.
